Kim
'Kim '''is a Vietnamese girl who falls in love with the American marine Chris Scott during the final days of the Vietnam War. Biography Early life Kim was born in a village in Vietnam around 1958, three years after the war started. At age 13, she was betrothed to her cousin Thuy, whom she confesses she does not love. During the war, Kim's family was "blasted away" during a raid and as she ran from the rice field to escape, she saw their burning bodies. This event would rather have a profound effect on the young Kim that she states she would rather die than "look back again." Eventually, Kim finds her way as a bargirl at a nightclub in Saigon called "Dreamland" working for a man called The Engineer, catering mostly to American GIs stationed in the city. 1975 On Kim's first night at Dreamland, the other bar girls taunt her and the patrons seem turned off by her naïveté except for a young sergeant named Chris Scott. Chris' friend John notices his fascination with the new girl so he pays The Engineer $50 for Kim and Chris to spend the night together. As the evening goes on, Chris grows more fond of Kim especially after learning that she is not like the other bargirls who would lie to get what they want. He realizes that Kim is the "one good thing" he has found in Vietnam and offers to take her to the US with him to start a new life. Kim is touched and the two profess their affections for each other, believing they were "blessed" to be together despite coming from entirely different worlds. After Chris arranges a deal with The Engineer to trade for Kim, the bargirls hold a wedding ceremony for the couple with Gigi toasting Kim as the "real" Miss Saigon. As they celebrate, Kim's betrothed Thuy hears about the wedding and confronts her, accusing her of betraying her father's word and that she will be cursed for it. Kim explains that the promise made by her parents died with them after Thuy sided with the North Vietnamese army. By April 30, 1975, tension has grown in Saigon and the city has become hostile due to the presence of the Viet Cong and the People's Army of Vietnam. As Chris is called for at the embassy, he gives Kim a gun as protection and tells her to pack her things, anticipating that they may need to leave for the US shortly. However, as soon as he reaches the embassy, the gates close and all Americans are forced to evacuate via helicopters, culminating the events of the Fall of Saigon. Before Chris could jump back into the crowd to be with Kim, John knocks him unconscious and she is left behind, neither of them aware that she is pregnant with their child. 1978 Three years later, Kim is in hiding and living in poverty with her and Chris' child, a boy she had named Tam. Although suffering on her own, she remains devoted to Chris, still believing that he will return for her. With the help of the re-educated Engineer, Kim is found by Thuy, who has now ascended the ranks and has become a commissar under the Communist government. He mocks Kim for still hopelessly waiting for her husband amidst the revolution and tries once again to force her into their arranged marriage. Kim refuses and reveals that she and Chris have a child together. This causes Thuy to immediately declare her a traitor to her country and decide to execute Tam, a bụi đời. Left with no other choice than to protect her son, Kim shoots Thuy and he dies in her arms. Realizing that she and Tam are now fugitives, Kim rushes to the Engineer, asking for help so they can sail to the US right away. The Engineer, who has been waiting for a "passport" to the US, learns that Tam is half-American so he resolves to help by posing as Kim's brother and Tam's uncle. They become refugees and he takes them with him to Bangkok to escape. As they leave, Kim vows that she would give everything including her life to give Tam a better life. Bangkok Sometime after seeking refuge in Bangkok, Kim starts working as a dancer in a night club to survive. She is finally found by Chris' friend John, who is now working for an organization reconnecting children from the war with their American fathers. Kim learns from him that Chris is also in Bangkok, rekindling all her hopes of reuniting with him. John however, fails to tell her that he is with his new wife, Ellen. As Kim goes to Chris' hotel room, she finds Ellen instead and finally learns of his new family. Though devastated, Kim offers Tam to be raised by them in the US but Ellen refuses, saying a child should not be separated from its mother and that she and Chris plan to have kids of their own, as well. With all her hopes of being with Chris now seeming impossible, Kim conceives a plan that would at least give her son a chance. While the Engineer introduces Chris to Tam, Kim shoots herself using the gun given to her, knowing Chris and Ellen will take Tam with them if she is gone. Kim dies in Chris' arms after they share one last kiss. Musical numbers Act I * Backstage Dreamland (with Gigi, The Engineer and Bar Girls) * The Heat is On in Saigon (with Soldiers, Bar Girls, The Engineer, John, Chris and Gigi) * The Movie in My Mind (with Gigi and Bar Girls) * The Transaction (with The Engineer, John, Soldiers, and Chris) * The Dance (with Chris and The Engineer) * This Money's Yours (with Chris) * Sun and Moon (with Chris and Kim) * The Wedding Ceremony (with Gigi, Bar Girls and Chris) * Thuy's Intervention (with Thuy and Chris) * Last Night of the World (with Chris and Kim) * I Still Believe (with Ellen) * Back in Town (with The Engineer, Thuy and Soldiers) * You Will Not Touch Him (with Thuy) * Let Me See His Western Nose (with The Engineer) * I'd Give My Life for You Act II * What a Waste (with The Engineer, Hustlers, Tourists and John) * Too Much For One Heart (with John) * Chris is Here (with The Engineer, Club Owner and John) * Fall of Saigon (with Soldiers, Chris, John and Citizens) * Sun and Moon (Reprise) * Room 317 (with Ellen) * The Confrontation (with Chris, Ellen, and John) * Paper Dragons (with The Engineer) * Little God of My Heart * Finale (with Chris) Background Kim's character is based on the character Cho-Cho-San from the opera and short story Madam Butterfly. As the time and setting of the story was changed, Kim's character was also changed from being a geisha in Japan to a bargirl in Vietnam. Notes * Kim means ''gold or metal in Vietnamese. * Casting note for Kim in 2016 reads "She is a Vietnamese girl who is just about to turn eighteen. Kim is too innocent and vulnerable as she finds herself in the middle of a war. Applicants for this role must have a strong voice which should be able to touch up to E, and fall low to G." * Lea Salonga, who originated the role of Kim won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical and Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical in 1989 and 1991, respectively. Eva Noblezada was also nominated for a Tony in 2017. Notable portayals * Lea Salonga (Original West End, Original Broadway) * Monique Wilson (West End) * Kam Cheng (Broadway) * Annette Calud-Staudinger (Broadway) * Leila Florentino (Broadway) * Joan Almedilla (Broadway) * Carla Guevara-Laforteza (West End) * Roanne Monte (West End) * Renée Montemayor (West End) * Riva Salazar (West End) * Jamie Rivera * Ima Castro (Manila, Asian Tour) * Maya Barredo-Duffy (West End) * Minako Honda and Kanako Irie (Original Japan Cast) * Eri Itou (Japan - alternate) * Linda Wagenmakers (Original Dutch Cast) * Joanna Ampil (West End, Complete Symphonic Recording) * Rena Sasamoto (2004-2016 Japanese Tour) * Rina Chinen (2004-2014 Japanese Tour) * Seiko Niizuma (2004-2012 Japanese Tour) * Takako Matsu (2004 Japanese Tour) * Sonim (2008 Japanese Tour) * Ma-Anne Dionisio (Broadway, West End and Austrailia) * Na-Young Jeon (2011-2012 Dutch Revival) * Eva Noblezada (2014 West End revival, 2017 Broadway revival) ** Tanya Manalang (2014 West End revival – alternate) ** Lianah Sta. Ana (2017 Broadway revival – alternate) * Natsumi Kon (2014-2020 Japanese Tour) * Sooha Kim (2015 West End revival understudy, 2016 Japanese Tour and 2017 UK Tour) ** Joreen Bautista (2017 UK Tour - alternate) * Emily Bautista (2017 Broadway revival – understudy and alternate, 2018 US Tour) ** Myra Molloy (2018 US Tour - alternate) * Mitsuki Takahata, Tomona Yabiku and Sakurako Ohara (2020 Japanese Tour) Gallery Kim lea salonga.jpg|Lea Salonga as Kim lea kim-2.jpg joanna ampil kim.jpeg|Joanna Ampil as Kim Kim eva noblezada.jpg|Eva Noblezada as Kim Eva kim-0.jpg saigon_stuttgart_talabong.jpg|Audri Joyce Talabong as Kim saigon_stuttgart_santos.jpg|Leah Delos Santos as Kim saigon_stuttgart_laborte.jpg|Anjanette Lee Laborte as Kim saigon_stuttgart_francisco.jpg|Caselyn Francisco as Kim saigon_stuttgart_deva.jpg|Aura Deva as Kim saigon_stuttgart_chua.jpg|Melinda M. Chua as Kim Category:Characters Category:Bargirls